A Squib at Hogwarts?
by WanderlustWitch
Summary: Caspienne Selwyn is a Squib. She knows that her mother pities her and that her father wants to disown her, and she knows that most of the magical community would treat her no better than a house elf. So she starts connecting herself more and more to the Muggle community, and detaching from the magical. But what will she do when she recieves a Hogwarts letter on her 11th birthday?
1. Prologue

_**Prologue:**_

Caspienne Selwyn was a mere four years old when she watched in awe while her older sister Aurora performed her first bit of accidental magic—their mother's purple violets sprang to life the second she started planting them. Caspienne had ran up to her mother and sister from her seat by the creek that divided her house and the woods. Chills ran down her spine when she saw the flowers, already fully bloomed in early spring. How amazing magic must feel…Caspienne couldn't wait until _she_ started doing things like that.

" _Mumma_ , look at what Rory did! When 'm _I_ gonna do that?" She poked her mother, who was planting more violets, which she insisted on growing the mundane way.

Her mother, Diane Shacklebolt-Selwyn, picked her youngest daughter up and smiled. "Just give it another year or two, sweetheart. For now, we just have to worry about if your sister will sneeze and set the curtains on fire," she laughed. Caspienne giggled and went back to the creek where her father sat feeding the fish.

Every minute or so, another shriek of delight came from five-year-old Rory when she made more violets bloom. Her father just chuckled and whispered to her, " _You'll be next!"_

And one year passed with no magic from Caspienne.

That year was followed by four more years of the youngest Selwyn daughter trying to make wilting flowers bloom to no avail. She would get angry on purpose in the hopes of making a vase explode. She would even stare at her bookshelves for hours on end, try to make a book budge with just her eyes.

It was at age nine that Caspienne realized that she was a Squib. _There's not an ounce of magic in me_ , she thought to herself.

Her parents had realized this far before she did. Her mother looked at her with pity, and her father no longer wanted anything to do with her. When his Ministry colleagues and friends came over, he made sure the conversation was never about Caspienne, but rather about his darling little _Princess Aurora_. Caspienne wasn't even sure if the other wizarding families near Ottery St. Catchpole knew that the Selwyn family had _two_ children.

Caspienne noticed the subtle decrease in magic being used around her. _Everyone always_ _hears about how Squibs are treated much better nowadays_ , she thought, _but why is it being treated like some sort of disability?_ Even Rory, who she always considered to be better than everyone else, made sure to open her Hogwarts letter behind closed doors as not to upset her. That didn't stop Caspienne from choking on her sobs late at night, being both jealous and angry.

But soon, she learned to play the part of a Muggle. It wasn't hard, really, once she figured out how to dress. She spent days on end observing everyone in Ottery St. Catchpole; the way they talked, dressed, and composed themselves… _everything_. She even made a friend out of the Muggle girl who worked in The Paper Shop. She soon traded her robes in for denim jackets and flannel shirts. To Caspienne, all she was doing was just separating herself from the world that wouldn't accept her, and moving on to a world that would never really know her. She decided the latter was better for her.

Rory rarely wrote home, but when she did, her letters were brief but kind. Caspienne yearned to know what kept her big sister so infatuated that she couldn't even find the time to write. She wanted to actually _see_ the Slytherin Common Room, not just know that it was 'under the lake'. She wanted to be there, to breathe in the dust of the ancient castle, to know what it was truly like to fit in.

But it was just dumb, wishful thinking...or at least that's what she thought.


	2. Chapter 1

If she was a Squib, then why, on May 21st, did a letter for her arrive from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?

She tried to convince herself that it was a mistake, that it wasn't really meant for her. But then again, how could an envelope addressed to her _specific_ location be a mistake? The Hogwarts owl had dropped it right in her lap as she sat in the backyard of Violet Creek Villa, reading the book she had borrowed from her Muggle friend. In loopy green writing read the following:

 _ **Ms. C Selwyn**_

 _ **The creek behind her house**_

 _ **Violet Creek Villa**_

 _ **Ottery St. Catchpole**_

 _ **Devon, England.**_

As soon as she saw the stamped red seal on the opposite side, she knew where it was from and raced inside to show her parents.

Diane Shacklebolt-Selwyn and Jonathan Selwyn were both sitting at the kitchen table when she came in. Diane, a fidgety, over-talkative woman, was reading the latest edition of _Witches Weekly_ , while Jonathan, a prejudiced man with elitist Pureblood beliefs and a strong sense of traditionalism, was reading The Daily Prophet. The look of urgency on her face caught the attention of both of them, and Jonathan surged forward and took the letter from her grasp. His copper eyes only needed to look for a moment at the envelope before shouting.

"This is complete and utter _rubbish!_ " he roared, causing the chandelier above head to shake. "Trying to humiliate us like that…they know full well that Caspienne is a…er, _you-know-what._ " He never could bring himself to utter the word 'Squib'. It was as if he thought that if he avoided saying it, the problem would go away.

"Jonathan, you can say the word _Squib_. She knows it just as well as you and I," her mother hissed at him.

He grunted. " _Fine_. They know full well that Caspienne is a _Squib_." Every ounce of disgust that he could muster was put into that word.

Caspienne, who had taken a seat across the table from him, took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "So, we'll send it back then?" she said through gritted teeth.

Her mother offered a sad smile. "I'm afraid we have to. I really am so sorry, I am. You can't just show up at Hogwarts without being able to perform magic. The Sorting Hat will reject you and send you home."

"You act as though I should want to go," Caspienne scoffed, crossing her arms and staring at her bare, dirty feet.

Diane almost looked offended. "Hogwarts happens to be a very fine school! I made extraordinary friends there, and got an incredible magical education—"

"Oh, yeah, I'll just saunter up and make friends with people who'll treat me like some sort of disgrace! I feel like you're kind of forgetting about literally the _entire_ wizarding community's views on Squibs. To them, I'd hardly rank higher than a House Elf."

The tension in the room thickened. Nobody said anything for a while, until Diane moved the conversation along. "Sending it was probably just a silly slip-up. It was an easy mistake to make, really, seeing as you come from two long lines of Purebloods, Sacred Twenty-Eight and all—"

"Gee, Mum, you're really making me feel better," Caspienne retorted, on the brink of tears.

"She has a point, though." Jonathan interjected. "It just happens to be highly unusual that the two of us managed to produce a _Squib_ , seeing as we both have such _powerful_ magical cores," he gestured to the two family tree tapestries on the wall behind him. "Now, I'll go take this letter to Valencia, I'm sure she'll be glad to finally have something to deliver."

Caspienne watched as he took the pale envelope and stuck it in his robe pocket. He left the table without pushing in his chair. The sound of a window slamming shut was heard from the kitchen.

Once again, her mother smiled sadly. "He does care, you know. He's just… _worried_."

"About me, or about his ' _reputation'_?" she spat.

"Oh, Caspienne, you know not to talk about your father like that. He's trying his hardest, he really is. I blame it all on his parents, the were the ones who taught him to think in such a narrow-minded way. But I'm working with him on it, I promise. It might just take a little bit of time," she squeezed her daughter's hand. " _Oh!_ I nearly forgot, but I wanted to try and make you a nice birthday brunch, so would you please twait in your bedroom while I get everything ready?"

She mustered a smile. "Yeah, thanks Mum."

Caspienne climbed two flights of stairs and opened the big wooden door that led to her bedroom. She flopped onto the silver duvet cover on her bed and blinked away her tears. Her heart was still beating fast from anger. She still couldn't properly process what just happened to her. She got up from her bed and sat on the plush swivel chair by her desk. After taking her last piece of parchment out of a drawer, she dipped her swan-feather quill into the inkwell and began to write.

 _Dear Rory,_

 _You won't_ believe _what happened. Dumb old Hoggy Warts had the nerve to send me an acceptance letter. They should really take note from Santa, at least_ he _checks his lists twice. Anyway, things are pretty boring 'round here without you. I wish you'd write more often. I'm actually writing this on my birthday, you know. The day that I'm pretty sure you forgot…Daddy wanted to invite his parents for dinner tonight, even though he knows how much I hate them. Nana and Papa_ still _believe in Pureblood supremacy. It's 1991, for Merlin's sake! They don't know I'm a Squib, either. They'd probably disown me and write me out of their will. Overall, today has been absolutely awful, so I hope they won't be able to come tonight. Anyhow, I can't wait to see you when you come home._

 _Your favorite little sister,_

 _Caspienne_

She finished writing it and promptly crushed it into a ball and tossed it in the bin. Rory had specifically told her not to write her more than a couple of times, because it was embarrassing enough receiving mail from their mum and dad that she didn't need to receive mail from her little sister too. But still, when she felt lonely or upset, she could pretend that she would always have Rory to vent to.

Tacked up on her wall was a magical photo of the pair of them, laughing at each other's milk mustaches, ages 8 and 9. They looked more like close cousins than sisters. Her sister had always been the spitting image of their father: she was white-passing (though she was a bit tan), despite being biracial, with dark brown ringlet curls that fell loosely to her shoulders. Her copper eyes shined against her face, crinkling at the corners. Dark brown freckles were sprinkled not just across her face, but her body as well, giving off the impression of having been sprinkled with soot.

Caspienne, however, looked like a blend of her parents: light brown skin, plump lips, and bouncy brown corkscrew curls. Her hair was more similar to her mother's afro than it was to her father's loose curls. Her copper eyes complimented her skin, although she found them to be less bright and startling as Rory's. Along with her father's eyes, Caspienne inherited his freckles, her favorite feature. They only spread lightly across her face, but she still thought they gave her an essence of playfulness. When she was little, Rory would draw more freckles on Caspienne since she knew how much her younger sister loved them.

Caspienne sighed, nostalgia filling her heart. The days of milk mustaches and drawing on fake freckles were over. They had been ever since Rory went to Hogwarts. In fact, they had likely been over when Rory realized Caspienne was a Squib. Diane tried so hard to push her daughters closer after that, but it was to no avail. Rory quickly became friends with the Fawcett's girl, Marci, seeing as they would be going to attend Hogwarts together and would be in the same year. Unfortunately for Caspienne, her mother took notice of her youngest daughter's loneliness. Caspienne was soon being force-fed friendships that she didn't want.

"Yes, Mummy, I had a fine time. But I just don't _want_ to be friends with the Weasley boy."

"That Luna girl was a little weird…"

"Oh, you are _so_ not hiring Cedric Diggory to babysit me! I _refuse._ "

Of course, these all sent up red flags for Diane. Caspienne spent all day alone, and Diane knew that that wasn't good for a kid of any age. However, unbeknownst to her at the time, her daughter merely found more comfort in Muggles…which would be fine if the entire Selwyn family weren't magical. Imagine inviting a Muggle over for tea! What would they think of the enchanted teapots?

Caspienne lay her head on her desk and drifted off into a much-needed nap.

She was shaken back to reality by her mum's silvery voice, calling her for brunch. She trod down the stairs and into the kitchen. On the counter was an assortment of Caspienne's favorite foods: English muffins, sweet marmalade, and thick porridge with cream; scrambled farmhouse eggs, jam doughnuts, bacon, and even cinnamon pull-apart rolls.

" _Mum!_ Did you go to the Muggle bakery to get those rolls? _And_ the English muffins? You even got the jam doughnuts! Daddy will be mad if he finds out, won't he?" Caspienne exclaimed, piling up her plate with a little bit of everything.

Her mother chuckled. "I thought you'd appreciate it, Cas. I felt bad about some of the things I had said earlier. And, yes, you father probably _would_ be mad if he knew I went down to the Muggle bakery to get these, but there's been an inquiry at the Ministry, so he's over there right now. This can be our little secret."

Caspienne was not the least bit fazed by her father ditching the family to go to work, even on her birthday. She even felt a bit relieved that she wouldn't have to deal with his nagging.

"I'm glad you took the day off of work today. It's nice to have some company during the day instead of having Mrs. Diggory check up on me every hour, _on the hour_. She's very punctual, you know. It's gotten quite annoying, like having a human cuckoo clock."

"Well, I'll make sure to _thank_ Mrs. Diggory for watching over you, and I don't want to hear you complain about her again. You know I would spend more time around if I could, don't you? And trust me, love, if my work weren't too dangerous for a kid then I would bring you along in a heartbeat! But being an Auror does pay for the food on the table, m'dear. Unless, of course, you can think of a better way for me to earn money?"

"You could always murder Uncle Kingsley and inherit _all_ of the Shacklebolt family money instead of just half?" she suggested playfully, earning an equally playful smack on the bum with a wooden spoon.

" _Ooh_ , don't let Mad-Eye hear you say that unless you fancy intense interrogation," her mother laughed.

After a few minutes of eating in comfortable silence, her mother gasped. "I nearly forgot! You get your real presents tonight, but while I was in Ottery St. Catchpole I noticed how many clothing stores there were—which, by the way, explains where you got all that Muggle clothing—and decided to give you something that you'll actually appreciate,since I have an inkling that you won't like the new dress robes Daddy bought for you. Here," she handed her a £30 note. "You can go shopping for Muggle clothes now!"

"Really?" asked Caspienne, taking the money as though it were the most precious thing in the world.

"Yes, but I _don't_ plan on letting your father know, so if I were you, I wouldn't tell him. He'll probably be home after you get home. Now, go on," Diane said.

"Oh, _thank you, thank you, thank you!_ I'm going now!" Caspienne exclaimed, hugging her mother.

She went back up to her bedroom to change into some more appropriate clothing. She changed out of her PJ's and into a pair of jean shorts and a bright yellow tee shirt with a daisy on it. After quickly running a brush through her hair and pulling it back with a headband, she dashed out the door.

 **xxx**

Caspienne shifted between the trees and climbed over the small hills that hid the large Selwyn family home from Muggle view. She'd never needed a map; from the very first time she entered them, she knew the woods like the back of her hand.

She was parched and tired by the time she actually arrived, half an hour later. Her first stop was her favorite shop in the whole town: Daniella's Diner. The diner was quaint, but served the best fresh-squeezed lemonade money could buy. Daniella, an old woman with bright blue hair, greeted her with a friendly smile of recognition.

"The usual, Cassie?" she asked. Cassie was the name she gave anyone in Ottery St. Catchpole. Cassie nodded and sat on a barstool, exchanging small talk with Daniella.

Once she had a cold cup of lemonade between her hands and had the sunshine kissing her cheeks, she went to _Blue Dahlia,_ a clothing and accessories store. In the small boutique she could always find the best Muggle trends. For the most part, she only purchased things when they were on sale, but now she had more than just the few pounds that she would earn doing little bits of work in The Paper Shop, so she could buy more expensive things. A pair of cutoff overalls caught her eye, followed by a pink and white striped tee shirt and something called a 'mood ring'.

She flagged over an employee who had been been straightening a necklace in the display window. "Excuse me?"

"Yes, deary?" she raised her eyebrows and put down the necklace.

"You see, I absolutely love this boutique, but I don't know what this is. What on earth is a _mood ring?_ "

The tall lady laughed. "Been living under a rock, have you? Mood rings change color according to how you feel, because your body heat changes. Not actually very accurate, as I've found, but _a lot_ of fun! Comes with a mood chart and everything."

Needless to say, she bought five of the cheap and seemingly magical mood rings along with the overalls and shirt.

With a few pounds left, she went to The Paper Shop to buy more parchment. After choosing the parchment and deciding to purchase a fountain pen, too, she went up to the register. Behind the counter was her favorite Muggle, a teenaged girl with cropped blonde hair, Adrianna, fast asleep.

"Wotcher, Adri!" she shouted, poking the girl.

Adrianna awoke groggily, but grinned. "Cassie! You haven't been 'round here in a while. Can't do much without my assistant… _paid_ assistant, you should remember. So what do you say, want to help me sweep the back after I ring you up? I've just bought a brand new Mariah Carey CD that we can listen to while we work!"

Although Caspienne wanted nothing more than to stay, she knew she couldn't if she wanted to beat her father home.

Adrianna was pretty much her only friend unless you counted Rory. Her father owned the Paper Shop so she was always stuck behind the counter almost every day, despite the fact that she was only 13 years old. She was homeschooled since her dad always needed help in the shop, and she wanted nothing more than to go to a real school and make more friends.

"Oh, you _know_ I want to! But I can't. My Nana and Papa are supposedly coming over for my birthday dinner tonight, so I need to get home and wash up soon."

"Oh, _shit!_ I totally forgot that it's your birthday today! I'm such an awful friend, I didn't even get you anything!" Adrianna pouted.

"You didn't need to get me anything, you know that, right? I _seriously_ don't need anything."

"Well, that's great for _you_ , but I feel morally obligated to get you something...you know what? The pen and parchment are on the house today, birthday girl," she smiled, bagging up the items.

"Thanks, Adri. I promise I'll stop by in a few days to help you around here," Caspienne said.

"You'd _better._ I'm pretty sure that bastard Leonard is still faking a broken leg, so it's just me and Dad and I'm pretty damn _miserable,"_ she checked her watch. "And I've got to go sweep _alone_ in two minutes. Why'd you have to be born _today?_ "

"Have _fun_!" Caspienne chirped in a sing-song voice as she left the store.

She had first met Adrianna last year when she came looking for some way to earn a few pounds and use up her time, only to learn that she was too young to legally be hired. Adrianna kindly let her help with some chores around the Paper Shop and paid her with some of her allowance. The two became close friends, even though they saw each other once or twice a week tops and had a two year age difference. In Ottery St. Catchpole, Caspienne could be as happy and lively as she wanted, with no constant reminders that she was an outcast.

Caspienne made her way home with a spring in her step and big bags in her hands. Although the day had had a rough start, her 11th birthday was really starting to look up.

 **xxx**

She arrived at Violet Creek Villa to hear her parents arguing in the kitchen. It seemed as though he had come home early, unfortunately for Caspienne. Never one to interfere and announce her arrival, she snuck upstairs to her bedroom. Despite the space between them, her father's raucous voice still rang through to where her bed was. She caught broken fragments of the conversation.

"—CAN'T BELIEVE YOU LET HER GO THERE!"

"— _matter what_ she _wants? You can't keep pretendi—_ "

"WHAT ABOUT US? WE HAVE A REPUTATION TO UPHOLD—"

" _Damn your 'reputation'! She's your daughter!_ "

"WE SHOULD HAVE JUST DISOWNED HER THE SECOND WE KNEW ABOU—"

Something that sounded like glass shattering made its way to Caspienne's bedroom.

At this point, Caspienne covered her ears to shut out the noise. Her parents' arguments were bad enough, but adding in _what_ they were arguing about was the last straw. She didn't give a damn what her prejudiced father thought; Muggles were just like—and possibly even _better_ than— wizards, just without the magical abilities.

So she made a decision.

Caspienne changed into her new overalls for dinner to piss her father off. A dazzling new mood ring showed the color orange: _determination_.

She was going to be the most Muggle-like she could be for this dinner. No matter _what_ she did, it was never good enough for her father. And Caspienne knew her father was just like almost all the other wizards and witches: biased and ignorant. She would never be good enough for the wizarding community, and maybe that was just the way of the world.

With angry tears prickling her eyes, she put a few butterfly clips into her hair and fell backward onto her canopied bed to have a nice cry before dinner.

 **xxx**

At roughly 6:30 p.m., Caspienne was shaken back to reality by her mum knocking on her door. Diane barged in without waiting for a response. She was dressed in robes of dark purple, with sleeves hemmed in green.

" _Caspienne_! Dinner starts in fifteen minutes, and we didn't even know you were home! I was ready to go down to Ottery St. Catchpole myself…"

"Right, uh, sorry. I came back a little bit ago, but I was sort of tired, so I thought I would nap before dinner," she said. "You said dinner's in fifteen minutes? Well, I'm already ready so it's okay."

"Love, you can't wear that tonight—"

"Why not?" Caspienne asked defiantly.

"Er," she bit the inside of her cheek and took a deep breath, "you know how upset your father will be, love…why would try to push him further? C'mon, you've got those lovely green robes that we just got for you!"

Never once had Caspienne been this disappointed in her mother. She was under the impression that she would always have her mother to lean back on for support in all of her decisions, but it seemed she was mistaken.

"I'm wearing this, and I'm not changing my clothes _or_ my mind. If Daddy doesn't like it, he can go cry to Rory about it," Caspienne said sternly. Her ring turned red, which, according to the chart, meant she felt either _love_ or _anger_ , and she sure wasn't feeling very lovey.

"That is not very fair of you, Caspienne! Your father is dealing with a lot—"

Finally, Diane caught sight of her daughter's teary eyes and stopped mid-sentence. Caspienne had nothing to say, so all she did was try her very best to keep herself from breaking down on the spot.

After nearly a minute of unbreaking eye contact, Caspienne spoke through clenched teeth, "Please leave my bedroom. I'll be downstairs in ten minutes for dinner."

Diane looked as though she wanted to say something, but left the room with eyes just as watery as her daughter's.

Caspienne wanted so badly to shout, to cry, to hit her walls. Instead, she silently wept and fell to her knees on her carpeted floor. Her mother would never truly understand what it was like to be her. Caspienne clutched a pillow to her chest and bit her lip for all of those ten minutes until dinner.

She had barely finished drying her eyes when her mother called her downstairs. Slowly, she went climbed down the final flight of stairs to see her Uncle Kingsley where she had expected to see her grandparents. Like her mother, he was tall with broad shoulders and skin the color of chocolate. He had a gold hoop earring in his left ear, and a pointed red hat that matched his robes covered his bald head.

" _UNCLE KINGSLEY!_ " she shouted, skipping the bottom three steps. He turned and caught Caspienne as she leapt into his arms. "I thought you were on some big Auror mission to get something for Dumbledore!"

"And miss your birthday? Nothing can keep me away from your mum's homemade cake, not even Dumbledore," he smiled.

"You ditched Dumbledore for my birthday dinner?" she asked skeptically.

"Okay, _maybe_ I finished the mission early…but still, it's the thought that counts, Cas."

"Your father's parents cancelled on us last minute, so I owled Kingsley so he could surprise you! Now, into the dining room, unless you want to wait longer for that cake," Diane said, ushering them through the hallway and into the dining room, which had been elaborately decorated in ribbons and balloons of pink and gold, Caspienne's two favorite colors.

Caspienne, still bitter from her previous conversation with her mum, only said, "This looks great Mum, thanks," upon seeing the room. She sat at the head of the table, where her father usually sat. On her left is where he sat tonight, and opposite him was where her mum and her Uncle Kingsley sat themselves down. Upon seeing her outfit, her father's neutral expression turned to that of disgust (which Caspienne ignored). Her mother flicked her wand and an entire rotisserie chicken was being levitated from the kitchen.

"Dibs on the drumsticks!" Caspienne shouted, burning her fingers while grabbing one of the legs. While she continued to burn her tongue on the chicken, more food was being levitated to the table: roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes with gravy, seasoned salmon, and roasted vegetables. Even more food continued to come out after that.

She piled her plate with more food than she could eat. Her parents and uncle began to catch up on life, so she wanted to ensure she ate enough before the conversation turned to her. Unlike her Nana and Papa, her Uncle Kingsley actually knew that Caspienne was a Squib, so that made the conversation less awkward, but still not very comfortable.

Alas, the time to talk about her _did_ come. It was her uncle that initiated the conversation. "So, Caspienne, how has your birthday been so far?"

 _Oh, you know, Hogwarts accidentally sent me a letter so that was_ fantastic _and after that I actually had a nice time in Ottery St. Catchpole, but that was kind of ruined when I came home and both of my parents were being complete assholes. You know, same old, same old,_ Caspienne thought to herself with disdain.

"Um, good...good. My mum made me brunch and I visited my friend in Ottery St. Catchpole, so that was nice, I guess…" Caspienne lied.

Her mother's eyes shifted across the table to see how her father would react. His expression remained as solemn as it had been all dinner. Uncle Kingsley, however, was perfectly calm and happy as ever.

"So you blend in well with Muggles? I remember it had taken me a bit to master Muggle fashion for Auror missions. The trends keep changing, you know…robes are _always_ in style," Kingsley chuckled.

Caspienne couldn't imagine her uncle wearing _any_ of the current trends. Perhaps she would buy him a nice pair of overalls the next time he came over. Then, she remembered the mood ring on her hand, which she thrust toward Kingsley.

"See the stone on the ring? It changes color according to my mood! It really all comes down to body heat, but I still think it's pretty genius for a Muggle creation," she said excitedly, rubbing her thumb over the stone, making it turn green.

"It's certainly impressive for a Muggle creation! I wonder why people would want to reveal their emotions to others, though…" He handed the ring back to his niece.

All of a sudden, there was a knock at the door. Caspienne's father, who had done very little other than stare into space for the entire meal, started to stand up, but Caspienne stood up quicker and said, "I've got it. It's probably just another lost Muggle."

She crossed through the kitchen, past the living room, and stepped into the mudroom to open the door. Where she had been expecting a lost little girl to be standing was a man who looked far too old to be standing up as he was. The only feature she could clearly make out on his face was his crooked nose, as a long silver beard covered his mouth and chin, and crescent-moon glasses covered his eyes. Unfortunately, she'd seen this face before on her chocolate frog cards, and had absolutely no interest in the envelope in his hand.

Before Albus Dumbledore could say a single word, Caspienne spoke.

"Oh, _hell no_."

She then closed the door in his infuriatingly calm face.

 **xxx**

 **Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of my new fic! Since I'm starting this during Pride Month, I decided that Caspienne would be bisexual (hence her minor crush on Adrianna), in case you were wondering about her sexual orientation. Please follow, favorite, and review! If you have any questions, you can either just comment them or DM me.**

 **-Author :)**


	3. Chapter 2

Caspienne walked cautiously back to the dining room, as though she thought Dumbledore would pop out from around the corner. She was rather shaken from the brief encounter; headmasters typically don't show up at someone's door after an acceptance letter was rejected. Admittedly, she probably should have handled the situation better (perhaps by inviting him in rather than cursing and slamming a door in his face).

When she returned, a beautifully frosted chocolate cake was being floated from the kitchen and onto the table. A dark, shiny ganache was dripping down from the top and onto the sides, and chocolate shavings and raspberries topped the two-tier cake.

Diane noticed her right as the cake was set down. "So, who was at the door, love?" she asked.

"O-oh, you know," Caspienne stuttered, "just another lost Muggle. I just pretended that I couldn't speak English."

Kingsley laughed. "If you'd like, I could help put up some Muggle-repelling charms. It'd certainly save you loads of hassle."

As the company murmured in agreement, a loud crack sounded on one of the empty chairs next to Jonathan. Everyone turned their heads, and there sat Albus Dumbledore, looking perfectly calm and happy as a clam.

"Ah, just in time for cake, I see. Perhaps the most important part of any birthday…"

The Shacklebolt siblings were the quickest to react. Both had drawn their wands instinctively upon hearing him Apparate, but were now lowering them. Kingsley, who's worked closely with Dumbledore before, stood up and spoke first.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, aren't you supposed to be delivering _you-know-what_ to Gringotts right about now?"

Dumbledore smiled and folded his hands on the table. "A far more important matter has come up," he said, looking at Caspienne. "Minerva contacted me to tell me that Caspienne has rejected her acceptance to Hogwarts, despite the fact that her older sister attends, just like her parents."

Caspienne was, once again, angry. Could people _please_ just lay off her case for just one day?

"It's because I'm a Squib," she scowled, looking anywhere other than at Dumbledore. I'm not _meant_ to be at Hogwarts, okay? I've heard about how Filch is treated! I'm. Not. Going. Besides, it's not like the curriculum is really geared toward me, now is it?"

"Caspienne, don't you dare take that tone right now, especially with the present company!" her father said harshly.

However, Dumbledore just smiled again and waved it off. "That is entirely your choice, Caspienne, but please try and hear me out. An average Squib would have no magical abilities whatsoever, and thus feel detached from the magical community. Would I be correct in assuming that you often feel this way?"

Caspienne refused to tear her eyes away from her feet and said nothing.

"Well, and I'm sure this will be news to not just you, but your entire family, you are not an average Squib."

At this, Caspienne looked up, curiosity taking the best of her. "What do you mean I'm not an 'average' Squib?"

"My dear, have you noticed strange little things about yourself? For instance, always knowing which way to turn in a maze, despite having never been in said maze before. Or perhaps you've had a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach all day, and you later find out your great aunt has finished off the last of your lemon meringue pie?"

Caspienne's heart was beating fast. She had always known how to navigate every part of the forest surrounding her house, even the very first time she tried. When she was eight, she had woken up sobbing for no apparent reason, only to find out that the family's former tawny owl, Demetrius, had been attacked by a hawk and died.

"Actually, yeah. And, I _always_ know what Bertie Bott's bean I'll get, even if I don't look at it!"

Dumbledore chuckled. "A skill that many magical folk yearn for, I'm sure…but did it ever occur to you that this isn't average at all? Even the most talented witches and wizards would still be caught off guard by an earwax flavored bean! Do you have any guesses as for _why_ you can do all of that?"

She screwed her face up in concentration and took a minute to think, but came up with nothing. "I dunno…maybe it's like compensation for not having any real magical powers? No, that's stupid, give me a minute…"

"If one believes in a God or gods, then it can almost certainly be viewed like that, yes! A clever girl, just like your sister," he smiled. "However, I was thinking a bit more specifically. According to several books, the most famous having been _Promising Prophets and Fledgling Fortune-Tellers: How to know if Your Child is a Seer,_ by Cassandra Trelawney, these are a few of the many ways to tell if your child is divine."

Diane, Kingsley, Jonathan and Caspienne all froze and stared in disbelief. Then, Diane smiled wider than most had ever seen before.

"So she's going to Hogwarts after all! Oh, I bet you'll be in Hufflepuff like me! I cannot _wait_ to take you shopping! Will you need a crystal ball? I know someone who makes these _beautiful_ ones and sells 'em at a _fantastic_ price—"

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa._ Slow your roll, Mum. Firstly, I'd like to know why this is the first time I've heard of myself being a Seer, and secondly, why that means I suddenly have to go to Hogwarts!" Caspienne exclaimed, going red in the face. There was _no_ way she was really a Seer, right?

"If I may interject?" said Dumbledore, raising his hand just a bit. "Although I firmly believe that you would greatly benefit from Hogwarts, it _is_ your choice whether to go or not. And as for why you've only just heard of it, it's less of a simple answer. When a wizard or witch turns eleven, their name is written by the Hogwarts Acceptance Quill, so we know who to send letters to. When the Quill wrote your name, I was, I will admit, a bit befuddled. After all, I had heard of your predicament. Upon further investigation, however, the Quill, was, indeed, correct.

"Alexandra Croaker alerted me immediately when it happened. Much like the Hogwarts Acceptance Quill, there is a deck of self-shuffling tarot cards buried deep in the Department of Mysteries. Every few decades or so, the cards will stop and shove a card bearing a young Seer's name to the nearest person. This will only happen once the Seer is 'of age', however. It was hence that you have not heard about it sooner."

Around the table, everyone's face was canvas to a different emotion. Diane seemed positively ecstatic, her eyes and nose crinkling with an awestruck grin. Jonathan's face was screwed in concentration and bewilderment. Kingsley wasn't even sure that this was true…a Seer in the family?

Caspienne, however, wanted nothing more than to shout, to cry, to _shriek_. How _dare_ Dumbledore essentially break in and tell her this so nonchalantly, as if it wouldn't change her life drastically? The inside of her bottom lip was bleeding from her biting it throughout Dumbledore's speech.

"I won't go. You can't make me go there, no matter what you say. I'm not going to Hogwarts," she said, choking on the lump in her throat. With that, she ran off to her bedroom as fast as her legs would take her.

Her father's muffled shouts for her echoed through her room, but she paid no attention to them as she cried into a pillow. She didn't even know _why_ she was crying, in truth. Shouldn't she have been happy about this news? Shouldn't she have felt the need to _hug_ Dumbledore for informing her that she didn't need to be an outcast? Shouldn't she _want_ to go?

She should've…right?

But the only thing she felt was a burning anger in her chest. The only thing she wanted to do was go to sleep and not wake up. As for Hogwarts? She didn't need to be a Seer to predict what the other kids would have to say about her. Her father probably wouldn't want her to go anyway; Seers had a reputation for being wishy-washy and weird, and Merlin forbid his daughter was both a Squib and a Seer!

A slow, gentle knock sounded at her door.

"I don't wanna talk, Mum."

The lock clicked anyway, and in walked not her mother, but Albus Dumbledore. An audible groan escaped Caspienne's lips. He was the _last_ person she wanted to see.

"I don't wanna _listen_ to you talk, either." Caspienne turned her back to the doorframe where he stood.

"Fortunately for you, I want _you_ to talk, not me. I assure you, whatever is keeping you from Hogwarts can be fixed. Accommodations can be made for you, Caspienne."

For the first time, Caspienne looked at him properly. His crooked nose matched his slightly lopsided ears. Kind blue eyes were hidden by his crescent-moon spectacles, and a kind smile by his long silvery beard. He radiated a general feeling of trust and hard work.

"They'll talk. The kids, I mean. About me, more specifically speaking. You can't exactly stop kids from gossiping, no matter how great a wizard you are. I won't have any friends, and being a Seer won't change that. Besides, like I said before, I can't really take a majority of the classes?"

"Whilst I cannot do anything about children's gossip, I have devised a special sort of schedule for you." He sat himself on swivel chair and spun himself a couple of times before continuing. "You will not be taking Transfiguration, Charms, or Defence Against the Dark Arts for obvious reasons. You will, however, take Potions and have a classmate do any necessary potion stirring with their wand. For Herbology, you will attend a majority of lessons, and only watch when they require wandwork. Does this sound alright so far, Caspienne?"

She thought for a moment. Although she liked the idea of having a completely unique-to-her schedule, she didn't particularly favor being singled out like that and having to watch everyone _else_ do the fun magic. But, she nodded, prompting him to continue.

"You will, instead of Transfiguration, attend Divination with the third years, and you can choose one more elective of the following: Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, Care of Magical Creatures, or Study of Ancient Runes. You will then have a free block since we've taken away three classes and given you only two, and you likely want time to process this newfound 'power' of divination."

" _If_ I go, could I take Muggle Studies? I really like Muggles, if you can't tell." Caspienne gestured to her overalls.

"Of course. I, too, have a certain affinity for Muggle, or more specifically their sweets." he smiled, and took a yellow candy from his robes' pocket and stuck it in his mouth.

As he turned around to leave, Caspienne stopped him. "Suppose I _do_ go…what _do_ I do about the other kids talking 'bout me?"

"A ship can never sink if it simply refuses to let water inside of it," the old man said, as he walked away.

 **xxx**

 **Hey, you! Yeah, you! Thank you so much for reading this long overdue chapter :) Reviews mean the world to me, so if you have any thoughts or opinions on the dear Caspienne Selwyn, please, please, please review!**

 **Much love,**

 **Author**


	4. Chapter 3

**GUESS WHO FINALLY UPDATED?! Yeah, sorry about the break, but my summer has been pretty busy thus far! I actually REWROTE my first two chapters, so please go back and read them, because I only recently realized that the writing sucked lmao (some stuff in this chapter might not make sense unless you read the updated version, so please do!)**

 **xxx**

The floors of Flourish and Blott's were covered in stacks of books, short and tall, and Caspienne nearly tripped over a stack of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ when she walked in with her mother one morning in early June. Now that she had decided once and for all that she would at least _try_ Hogwarts for just one year, her mother had insisted on taking another day off of work to go school-supply shopping. Although shopping was normally not a thing that Caspienne minded, shopping with her mother was different. Caspienne would _always_ have to try on a plethora of clothes, she _always_ had to double check and make sure she bought everything possible, and her mother would _always_ get distracted by talking to people.

Caspienne considered herself lucky to be shopping so soon, though. If they were to wait another two weeks, then Hogwarts would be out for the summer and teenagers would swamp the place looking for cool hangouts (she personally thought that Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour was the best place to meet friends, but Rory had always preferred gazing at the newest racing brooms in Broomstix).

After spending a good chunk of time looking for each and every book she needed, she finally checked out with a bored looking cashier. As her mother reached into her Mokeskin pouch for the two galleons and seven sickles they owed, Caspienne watched the few people that there were outside: a strange woman who looked eerily like a banshee, a girl with bushy hair walking into Ollivander's with her parents, and a man wearing four sets of robes who looked like he was about to sweat to death (perhaps it's a new weight loss technique, Caspienne thought).

All of a sudden, her mother took her hand and walked her out of the store. " _Such_ a rude cashier! My coupons clearly applied there, but he wouldn't accept it!" her mother huffed. "Well, what's next on the list?"

"Robes, I think. Do I really have to wear stuffy—"

"We'll get you fitted for robes at Madam Malkin's, and afterwards I'm scheduled for a fitting at Twilfitt and Tattings, so I'll give you your own Mokeskin pouch so you can shop 'round a bit. It's connected to your personal Gringotts vault, so don't spend _all_ of your money."

"Awesome," Caspienne replied. The pair walked up to _Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions_.

Caspienne could feel herself tense up just by walking into the store. Although there was nothing extremely threatening about the rows and rows of fabrics, she knew that she was in for a miserable time. _Every single time_ she was fitted for robes, her mother and Madam Malkin talked nonstop and then Caspienne would accidentally be stabbed with a sewing needle. If possible, today was even worse due to Madam Malkin's constant questions.

"What house do you think you'll be in, dear? I was a Ravenclaw myself! Lovely house, although I'm rubbish at actually solving riddles, so getting into the Common Room was a nightmare... "

"Slytherin, I think. I'm pretty ambitious, I guess. Plus, my sister's in Slytherin, so it'd be nice to have a familiar face." A measuring tape whirled itself around her waist and nearly suffocated her. It then continued to measure body parts that Caspienne thought were completely irrelevant (such as her big toe, her elbow's diameter, and the space between her eyebrows). She felt, in every aspect, like a living mannequin.

"Actually," Diane cut in, " _I_ think she'll be in Hufflepuff, just like me. She's amazingly hard-working and dedicated to things she loves."

"Well, either way, I'm sure you'll absolutely _thrive_!" She pinched Caspienne's cheek. "Now, what do you think your favorite subject—oops, sorry!" Madam Malkin had accidentally stabbed her ankle, where she was hemming the robes. "Where was I? Oh, yes…favorite subject? Personally, I liked Care of Magical Creatures, but you'll need to wait until your third year for that!"

"Er, Herbology." Caspienne lied. In reality, she figured her favorite part of her day would be her free period.

"Ooh, I was always rubbish at Herbology…the plants always attacked me...you'll like Charms though, Flitwick's a big softie." She stood back and looked at the robe she had hemmed. "Yes, that should be good. It'll give you an inch or two of grow space, too. And remember, don't eat too much at the feasts, or you'll need to come back for another fitting during the holidays!"

She had Caspienne slide the robe off so that she could duplicate it a few times. By Diane's request, she added in a waist-length red cloak, a set of training bras (you can't exactly get those in Hogsmeade!), a full-length black cloak with silver fastenings, and a set of formal purple robes.

After lengthy farewells were exchanged, Diane and Caspienne headed toward Twilfitt and Tattings. It was a high-end clothing store, fit more for adults than children. Harsh white lighting met Caspienne's eyes as she entered. There were racks upon racks upon racks of the most elegant dress robes and evening gowns galleons could buy. Caspienne recognized one of the dresses on display as one that her mother had worn to last year's annual Ministry of Magic Masquerade Ball. While her mother checked in for a custom dress fitting, Caspienne imagined herself dancing in one of these fancy dresses. She _loved_ to dance. Adrianna would often play music on her old beat up boom box while the pair did work around The Paper Shop, and Adrianna would hum along as Caspienne danced with the broom and dustpan.

Before she knew it, Diane was holding out a leathery drawstring pouch, which Caspienne tucked into her robe pockets. "Remember to only buy things on the list, and wait until after my fitting to pick a pet! Be safe, love you!" she shouted, being dragged away into a fitting room by a pointy-nosed lady.

She first set off toward Potage's Cauldron Shop to buy her very first cauldron. Although the store was altogether boring, Caspienne enjoyed watching a two-year-old keep trying to climb into a massive cauldron without his mother seeing, and she laughed judgmentally over the clearly intoxicated cashier who mistook her for Celestina Warbeck and asked for an autograph.

Then, the rest of her supplies were available for purchase at Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment. The store sold all sorts of wizarding knick-knacks, from sneakoscopes to scales to globes of the moon. After finding herself a set of glass phials, a sturdy telescope, a set of brass scales, and a pair of dragon hide gloves, Caspienne decided to scout out their crystal balls, which weren't _technically_ on the list, but would almost definitely impress anyone in her Divination class. Besides, she couldn't get a wand, so she should at least get _something_ special.

In the very back of the store, where dust attacked her lungs, lay a single shelf of crystal balls. Though covered in a thick layer of grime, each ball was beautiful in its own unique way. The first one looked to be held by a bony black claw, the sphere having a shiny orange tint to it. The next looked as though the night sky was lurking deep within it, and it stood on a silver three-legged base. Another was free standing and its amethyst ball looked cracked on the inside, but felt completely smooth to the touch. The one that drew Caspienne closer, however, was the one made of clear Quartz; inside of it, however, were violet petals, frozen in time. Its base was a perfect silver square, with vines and flowers carved into it. She heaved it to the front of the store and onto the counter along with all of her other supplies.

She left the store never having been more thankful for bags with featherweight charms on them. She raced along the cobblestone street and back to Twilfitt and Tattings, where her mother was just finishing up with her fitting. While her mother paid, Caspienne combed through the 'young women' section. Though nothing would fit her yet, it would in due time (and she had heard that Hogwarts would occasionally throw a ball).

As Diane and Caspienne were about to leave, in walked a well-dressed blonde lady who Caspienne immediately recognized as Narcissa Malfoy, a close friend of her mother's. Trailing behind her was a boy with a pointed face and slicked back blond hair. Her mother lit up at the chance to socialize with yet another friend.

"Narcissa, how lovely it is to see you here! Is that Draco? He's gotten so big!"

"The very same to you, Diane! And yes, Draco's grown quite a lot in the past year," she beamed, gesturing to him. The boy stood taller and held his hand out for Diane to shake. Instead of any greeting, he gave a curt nod of acknowledgement. "As of the late, his father has been working _four_ days a week instead of three, can you imagine? That's why he's had to come shopping with me today. We were planning on getting his wand today as a reward for being such a trooper and coming shopping with me, but we'll likely get his robes later this summer, just in case he grows more."

Diane ushered Caspienne forward, as if presenting her. "And how coincidental that I happen to have my daughter, Caspienne, with me today. She'll be starting at Hogwarts this autumn, too!" she beamed.

"I didn't know you had a younger daughter! I'm hopeful she and Draco will get on well, he should have as many friends as possible if he wants to be popular." The two women continued to talk about a multitude of things, including their children and husbands.

Caspienne slouched into one of the plush chairs near the door. Next to her, Draco slumped into one too. She guessed that he didn't particularly like it when parents did this either.

"I'm Caspienne," she said, holding out her hand. His handshake was cold and brief. He didn't further the conversation, so Caspienne did. "Or you can call me Cas or Cassie or whatever. You're starting at Hogwarts in September, too, right? What house d'you think you'll be in?"

"Slytherin, indefinitely. That's where my entire family's been. I can't imagine being a pureblood and being anywhere else, can you? It'd practically be a disgrace!"

Caspienne nodded and smiled, if only for the fact that she didn't want to make any enemies before school even started.

"Anyway, you're from the Selwyn family, aren't they mostly Slytherin, too? We could very well end up in the same house." Draco's voice was bored and drawling, yet somehow made Caspienne feel smaller. Though his words weren't rude to her in any way, she felt as if he was hiding some sort of belittling messages in between the lines.

"I think I might've had a great uncle in Ravenclaw, but, uh, yeah, Selwyns are mostly Slytherin. I mean, I also come from the Shacklebolt family, and they're just a mix of _all_ the houses. But I'd definitely like to be in Slytherin. That's where my sister is. She says it's the best house, but Dumbledore always favors Gryffindor."

Draco scoffed. "Does it really matter what that old bat thinks anyway? Father reckons he should retire soon before he _really_ starts going mad. I mean, have you heard the rumours?"

"What rumours?"

"Well, I suppose you aren't well connected enough to have heard, but some people are saying that Dumbledore's decided to let a Squib in! As if the Mudbloods aren't bad enough…"

That's where the conversation died. The two sat in awkward silence while their mothers jabbered away. Then, Draco spoke up again.

"Funny, actually, but isn't it strange that I didn't even know you existed? Your family was over at my house a couple years ago for our Christmas Ball, but I don't remember you…?"

"Watching the Niffler!" Caspienne shouted, perhaps a bit too loud. "That's where I was. He, uh, still needed to be potty-trained and I had stay home with him!" In truth, her father would never let her go to the ball at the Malfoy manor, or any of the mixers that his colleagues would host.

"You have a _Niffler?_ " Draco's nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Had. He's dead now." _Shit, who manages to kill a Niffler in just two years?_ Caspienne was just about ready to die herself. Why did she have to say such embarrassing things under pressure?

"Oh. Sorry." He didn't sound sorry (nor did he sound convinced).

Finally, Narcissa headed toward the rooms in the back and Diane was ready to leave.

Once they finally left the store, they headed to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour for a short break. Caspienne was grateful for the fact that there was nobody that her mum wanted to talk to there. The pair bought their ice cream (Sticky Toffee Pudding for Caspienne, Chocolate Chili for Diane) and sat on a bench outside.

"I saw that you and Draco were talking a bit. It's good for you to finally be making real friends," Diane said.

Caspienne said nothing and just hummed in agreement, not wanting to upset her mother.

"It'll be nice for you to have a friendly face or two. You know my friend Eleanor Zabini, right?"

"Is that the one who's had seven husbands and two wives, all of whom died under mysterious circumstances?"

"Er, yeah…"

"Yeah, I've met her once or twice when I was little."

"Well, her son Blaise is starting this year too! I can owl Eleanor and ask her to tell Blaise to keep an eye out for you on the train and—"

"No!" Caspienne interrupted. "I mean, no _thank you._ Can you _please_ stop drawing so much attention to me? Especially with your elitist Pureblood friends? Hasn't it occurred to you that maybe people won't view a Seer-Squib as special, but rather as a disgrace?"

"Caspienne, you're overthinking this entire sit—"

" _No,_ I'm _not_! There are already rumours going around about the mysterious Squib that Dumbledore's let in, and you're just making it worse! Draco told me himself that he's heard the rumours and thinks it's awful, and I'm sure that Blaise Zabini wouldn't think too highly of me either! You're trying to force me to make friends with people who will like me up until they know what I really am! You're being completely inconsiderate to me. I'm not a special snowflake, I'm a mistake, and you know it, and I know Daddy knows it better than anyone else!"

"You're being completely unfair about this—"

"I am _not_!" Caspienne was, once again, on the verge of tears. Why wouldn't her mother understand?

" _Fine_. Maybe to you it seems like I'm just trying to make you friends with who I choose, but it's not like that at all, love! You can make friends with whoever you'd like, but I'm just trying to help you fit in a little bit more; getting with the 'in' crowd, you know? Besides, they'll love you for who you are if they're your real friends."

It was clear that Diane had understood absolutely none of what her daughter had tried to tell her. At this point, Caspienne saw that no matter what, she was not going to win this argument, so she shut up and ate her ice cream.

Her mother proceeded to talk about all sorts of things, including the Auror department's recent capture of the man who was illegally hunting Golden Snidgets, but Caspienne paid no attention. She just wanted to go buy an animal and retreat to the comfort of her bedroom.

At long last, her mother finished her ice cream cone (she was a painfully slow eater, seeing as she talked so much) and began to drag Caspienne to the Magical Menagerie, which was located directly across from Pilliwinkle's Playthings, the store they were sitting in front of.

Upon entering, Caspienne nearly puked. It smelled like animal droppings of every kind, mixed with the unpleasant scent of whatever floral air freshener they had used in a sorry attempt to freshen up the place. There was very little room to walk, seeing as the walls were lined with cages that held a plethora of strange animals: color-changing snails, cats whose tails grew into feather dusters, and even jewel-encrusted tortoise (unfortunately, the Hogwarts supply list had not listed tortoises as an animal that she could bring).

Diane clapped her hands together. "We can look at some of the cats in here, and then check out Eeylops Owl Emporium for the owls. If you'd like, you can probably convince me to get you a regular pet _and_ an owl. You really do need an owl for communication, but I remember how much I loved my cat—"

"Can I have a toad?"

"Er, a what?"

"A toad. More specifically, that one," said Caspienne, pointing to a Three Toed Tree Toad that sat alone in a habitat. He sat in the corner, almost looking sad for himself. One of his eyes looked to be permanently half-closed. Caspienne wanted this toad more than anything.

"No, I heard you the first time, it's just that...well, toads aren't exactly 'popular', as one might say. You'd stand out just a bit…"

"It's not like I'm not already going to stick out like a sore thumb! I might as well have a toad that I can sympathize with. C'mon, _please!_ " she pleaded, giving her best puppy dog eyes.

"Fine," Diane said, giving in. "But don't say I didn't warn you about how unpopular they are. Now, I have absolutely no idea what a toad eats, so we'll need a manual on that…" She picked up a mini care manual. "...that's _revolting_! I hope you're dedicated enough to this pet to feed it dead blowflies…" Diane trailed on, not bothering to check whether or not her daughter was listening.

Her daughter was, in fact, not listening. Rather, she was holding her new toad up to eye-level and making weird faces, to which he responded by simply catching a fly with his slimy, pink tongue. He reminded her of the frogs and toads that would hide out in their backyard's creek.

"Have you got a name for him?" Diane called from the cashier's counter in the back of the store.

"Um...Bog? Boggy? _Yeah_ , Boggy works for me." She cuddled the toad closer. "I'm gonna hug you, and kiss you, and call you _Boggy_."

"Please tell me you're kidding."

"Nope."

"Fine, Boggy it is," she sighed. "But I expect you to name your owl something far more respectable."

Caspienne held her toad all the way to Eeylops Owl Emporium, at which point her mother was forced to hold the toad while she picked her owl.

"If you come out with something like a one-winged owl, I swear I will force you to return both of your pets!" her mother called in after her.

Inside of the store was dark (likely because owls were nocturnal), and Caspienne had to squint just to see what was right in front of her. Owls of all breeds sat in cages that lined the walls, and a few flew around in the rafters above head. The store was empty, other than Caspienne and a couple of employees.

An employee wearing an embarrassing glow-in-the-dark vest approached Caspienne with an overbearing smile. His name tag read ' _Maurice'._

"Are you looking for a _lovely_ new owl to take to Hogwarts, young lady? We've got a wonderful new group of fully-trained owls of all breeds who would love to be your new best friend! We've got social owls, relaxed owls, quiet owls—"

Caspienne shuffled a couple steps away from him. "Yeah...any old owl is fine though. D'you have any that don't eat toads, though? That's my type of owl."

"You want a vegetarian owl? You know that's technically against the laws of nature, right?" The young man looked at Caspienne skeptically.

"No, it doesn't need to be vegetarian, it just needs to not eat my toad. You see, I've just got this _fantastic_ toad, and I will actually _disown_ any owl that attacks—"

"He's great, I'm sure," he cut her off. "Now, we don't really have any owls that have been conditioned not to eat toads, but we've got an owl who's fully trained and she's pretty obedient, too. If you tell her not to eat your toad, she'll listen."

"Yeah, her. I want her! Please show to me to her. Wait, does she have both wings?"

"Yes?"

"Fantastic!"

Maurice led her to a large owl with big, beady brown eyes and a yellow beak. She had beautiful brown and white coloring that complemented the rusty cage she was in. Her round face gave her a constant look of innocence. The sign under her cage read ' _MEXICAN BARRED OWL, 11 GALLEONS'_.

"Well, here she is. A lovely eight-month-old Barred Owl, fully trained, hoping to accompany a young child to Hogwarts. According to her files," he said, waving his wand to summon some papers from a file cabinet, "she enjoys being pet, flying in sunny weather, and Eeylops Premium Owl Treats."

"I'll take her!" Caspienne said, pushing her fingers through the bars in an attempt to stroke her new owl. "Do you have any name suggestions? I was thinking something like...I don't know...Owlette...or _Owlexandra_. Get it?"

"That's are awful."

"What were you expecting? I'm eleven years old, for Merlin's sake. If _you'r_ e so superior, you give me some suggestions."

Maurice straightened up taller, excited for the name game. "Well, you could go the traditional route and name your owl after a goddess from mythology, maybe Athena or Artemis—you know, Athena's sacred animal _is_ the owl—or you can choose a name relating to nighttime, since owls are, as you know, nocturnal. I would suggest something elegant like Estella, derived from Latin—"

"Sure, sounds good to me," Caspienne stopped him. She hadn't come in her for an etymology lesson, after all.

"B-but I was just getting started..."

"Yeah, but I was sort of hoping for 'one-and-done' kind of thing, but then you kept on talking," Caspienne admitted. "But Estella works! I think it's rather pretty, really."

"Thank you. You know, I'm actually working on a book on how to properly name your owl, factoring in _everything_ : color, size, breed—"

"I'll keep an eye out for it at Flourish and Blott's," she assured him, scooping some owl treats into a paper bag. Maurice then scooted back behind the cashier register and flicked his wand to figure out the weight of the treats to add them to the price. "So, how much do I owe you?"

"That'll be 13 galleons, 12 sickles, and six knuts total."

Caspienne reached into her Mokeskin pouch to count out the coins.

"I'll include a care pamphlet, and a complementary cage polishing kit for when she's at home during the summers. Normally, I would say just clean the cage with magic, but you won't be allowed to use magic over the summer, so you can either have a parent help, or you could do it the Muggle way. As, uh, _liberating_ as it is to clean that way, I would just enlist a—"

" _Bye_ , Maurice!" she shouted, grabbing her owl and bag of treats, cutting off his instructional spiel.

Her mother was outside, talking to a tall woman with cropped grey hair and a monocle. By her side was a young girl, about eleven years old, just like Caspienne. The girl had long red hair plaited down her back, though she wouldn't stop fidgeting anxiously with it.

"Oh, my daughter's here; you ought to excuse me," her mother said, spotting Caspienne. "But it was lovely to see you Amelia! We absolutely _must_ have tea next week though, no?"

The woman nodded curtly and smiled, taking the young girl's hand and walking off, leaving Diane and Caspienne to themselves.

"Who was that, Mum?" Caspienne wondered.

"Oh, that was just Amelia Bones and her niece, Susan. Susan's going to be a first year, too, but of course you would _never_ make friends with her, because Merlin forbid she finds out how wonderfully unique you are..."

Caspienne clenched her teeth to stop herself from saying anything back. Instead, she held her new owl out to her mother, who in turn gave her Boggy. Although Estella looked at Boggy with great curiosity, she didn't try to nip through her cage at him.

"This is a nice owl, got both wings and everything, yeah?" Diane asked.

"Yeah, she's got all necessary limbs. Her names Estella; it's Latin for something or other. I really just had the store clerk help me name her."

"Well, it's far better than _Boggy_. Then again, I had a kitten named Kitty McFluffyHead, so I can't really be one to talk. Although, I named you and your sister, so—"

Caspienne held a hand up to stop her. "You're rambling again, Mum. We should really head home now."

Diane laughed. "Yes, yes, apologies for rambling! Now take my hand, we'll Apparate back."

She placed her free hand in her mother's, and held Boggy protectively close to her chest. There was a sound of a faint pop, and Caspienne was enveloped in darkness. It felt as though her eardrums were being pushed into her skull and her nostrils were being turned inside out. Her heart felt ready to jump out of her chest. She doubled her grip on both her toad and her mother, not wanting to be let go and be dropped in the middle of a garbage dump...again.

The sensation lasted for roughly three seconds until Caspienne opened her eyes and found herself right next to her mother in the backyard of the Violet Creek Villa. The babbling creek was just a few steps behind her. She exhaled, glad that she would never have to learn how to Apparate.

"You alright there? I know you haven't done that so often, but I promise it does get better."

Although she was gripping her stomach in an attempt not to vomit, she nodded and smiled. "Just a bit…" Caspienne felt the ground sway below her and plunked herself down on the grass, " _dizzy_. I _much_ prefer the Floo Network."

Her mother sat down next to her, setting Estella's cage behind her. She sat in silence, though her brows were furrowed in concentration. Finally, she spoke.

"Are you nervous to start at Hogwarts? I mean, I know _I_ was, but, we're in pretty different situations, I suppose." she said, curling her knees to her chest.

Caspienne was a bit surprised her mother even had to ask; she thought she had been acting a bit like a bundle of nerves ever since she agreed to go. Then again, her mother only liked to see what she wanted to see. "Yeah, I'm nervous. Actually, that's a bit of an understatement. I'm absolutely _terrified._ "

"Why? I thought you'd be excited to join your sister there...I'm sure she'd be glad to introduce you to all of her friends."

She scoffed. "None of Rory's friends would like a Squib. I'm pretty sure they'd actively make fun of me, even. And even if I tried to make my own friends, what would they think when they realize that _I'm_ the infamous Squib that Dumbledore allowed in. It's not like I can just _pretend_ to be a witch. Honestly, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be bullied so badly that I'll need to drop out in the middle of the school year and then I'll never get any sort of education—"

Diane put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Take a deep breath, love, it'll all be okay. I know you don't agree, but I really think that you'll find people who love you for _you_. Back when I first started, I was worried about making friends because back then, racism was much more prominent. But you know what? Even though my beautiful black skin stood out against the many pale faces of Hogwarts, I fit in just fine. In fact, I even came top of my classes in many subjects and became Prefect and Head Girl. I found friends that didn't care about the color of my skin, and they'd defend me when others called me _awful_ slurs."

"No offense, but I don't think these situations are all that similar."

"But they _are_ , love! I was worried about fitting in, and so are you! What you really need to do is just rise above it all and be the best _you_ that you can be! You can come top of the class in Divination and prove everyone wrong! You can make friends who will love you for who you are."

Caspienne laughed. "That was the cheesiest thing you've ever said."

"Trust me, dear, I can get far cheesier if you'd like," Diane chuckled, rubbing her daughter's shoulder. "But I think for now, you owe a certain someone a thank you for taking a day off of work to take you shopping."

"Oh, right! _Thank you, Mummy!_ " she said, and kissed her mother's cheek before standing up. She looped the handles of her shopping bags around her wrist and grabbed the top of Estella's cage. "I'm going to go set Estella up inside and then I think I'm going to go show Boggy to Adrianna."

"Who?"

"My Muggle friend. I've told you about her, remember? She works in the Paper Shop where I like to get my parchment."

"Oh, yes, I remember now. Just make sure you keep the Statute of Secrecy, unless you want to be burnt at the stake."

" _Yes_ , Mum, _I know._ I'll be careful with whatever I tell her," Caspienne promised.

She raced up to her bedroom, put Boggy in the glass habitat she had bought, and set up Estella's cage on its stand. She opened the door to her cage to let her new owl out.

Estella flew straight into her window. Caspienne supposed that maybe it wasn't the brightest idea to bring an owl into a bedroom without opening the windows first. She checked the owl to make sure she was alright, and then perched her on her fingers.

"Alright, here are the ground rules, Estella. First, that's your name, and I'm not changing it because I can't come up with anything better, so I hope you don't hate it. Second, you can't eat my toad, okay?"

Estella responded by trying to nip Caspienne's shoulder.

" _Okay then._ Next rule, I am not a treat, so please don't nip at me. And, er, I can't actually think of any other rules other than to return to wherever I am after you go out hunting, I guess. That means either here, or at Hogwarts." She opened the window and waited for Estella to fly out. Instead, the bird just sat on her finger, bobbing her head dumbly.

"You're supposed to fly out now…" Caspienne nudged Estella, but she didn't move. "Okay, Plan B." She detached the owl from her finger and held the body with both hands and threw her out the window, just as she had seen done with Muggle messenger birds.

Estella fell for a solid second before she began flapping her wings and headed to the woods to hunt.

"That," Caspienne said, "is a really _dumb_ bird. I'm not sure she's as great as Maurice tried to say she was," she told her toad.

She threw on a pair of Muggle shorts and something that had been called a 'crop top'. She wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but she did know that it wasn't something her mother would want her wearing. Her big hair was pulled back into a ponytail with her mother's enchanted scrunchie (any other kind couldn't hold all of her hair). She grabbed Boggy and left to visit Adrianna for the first time since her birthday.

 **xxx**

 **Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for reading all of this long chapter, it really means so much to me. Please review or follow and favorite! Reviews make me especially happy :)**

 **Lots of love,**

 **Author**


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